Every government degenerates when trusted to the rulers of the people alone. The people themselves are its only safe depositories. Thomas Jefferson

I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them. Thomas Jefferson

Click HERE for the Mission Statement of The East Orange NJ Tea Party

3rd Annual Tax Day East Orange Tea Party
04/15/11

The Third Annual East Orange Tea Party was held on 4/15/11 at 12:00 Noon in front of the Clock Garden on the corner of Evergreen Place and Central Avenue. I moved it to this location because it is a short walking distance from my house and I no longer have the time or energy to get to the Senior Garden at City Hall Plaza or travel to Watsessing Park. The reason I call it the clock garden is obvious, looking at the photo on the left.

For the occasion, I built a traveling Kiosk mounted to my grocery cart. It all folds up so I can easily carry it in the cart and it's no heavier than a load of groceries. The one problem I had was with the wind... it tends to attempt to sail away when the wind gets gusty. This year I solved the problem by hanging onto the cart when it got windy. Next time I'll carry wooden wheel blocks.

Click if you would like a printable pdf copy of the complete 2011 brochure.

This year I made a brochure to give to anyone who asked me about the Tea Party. I gave away five of the ten I had printed up, but all of the people who took them seemed really interested and I am confident I won't find them flying around the streets of East Orange abandoned to the wind.

I did not attract a TV crew like I did last year, but the East Orange Police Department was on the job and made sure I was there lawfully. They were very polite and courteous, and agreed to let me take this photo showing the most exciting part of this year's Tea Party event.

Next week, on Friday, April 22nd, Earth Day, I will be back on this corner and this time giving away apple tree seedlings to any who bring me a bag of trash collected from the city streets. That's because I have declared Earth Day to coincide with Johnny Appleseed Day in East Orange. No one said I could do that, but no one said I couldn't, either, so I am and I will. Drop by with a bag of litter and get your genuine heirloom apple seedling.

Video also available on YouTube. Interesting Tea Party Links Mission Statement of The East Orange NJ Tea Party New Jersey Tea Party Coalition http://www.njteapartycoalition.org/ Mission Statement of above: http://www.njteapartycoalition.org/Documents/NJTPC.pdf New Jersey Tea Parties United http://www.njteapartiesunited.org/ New Jersey Tea Party : http://njteaparty.com/ Americans For Prosperity http://www.americansforprosperity.com/new-jersey Before It's News http://www.beforeitsnews.com/ Jim Gerrish [email protected]

1. Take Back our Government. Vote Out ALL Incumbents.

This is a necessary first step. We, the People of the United States, have allowed politicians to do our thinking and our jobs for so long that they have begun to believe they are in charge, and not us. This will show them who is really in charge and why the Constitution of the United States begins with the words: "We the People of the United States." Vote for someone who has not yet become corrupted by public office perks, a cushy public salary, and access to our tax money. Don't think you can let someone else have a free ride by not voting. Your job is to VOTE, not to avoid personal responsibility. Find the most sincere, honest candidate of any party and vote for the person, not the party.

Join a political party; do not register as an "independent" or some third party. Become a Democrat or a Republican. Choose the party that needs the most reform so you can vote in that party's Primary Election. In East Orange, you should become a Democrat because the Republican Party has no real presence here and you can only make your vote count in the Primary Elections by being a registered Democrat. In the final elections, you can vote your conscience without regard for any political party.

2. No Taxation Without TRUE Representation. Vote for Tax REFORM.

Vote for Tax REFORM on all levels, local, state and federal. Vote NO to ALL bond requests, even if they make you feel good. Vote down ANY and ALL tax increases. Make them use the tax money they already have and are wasting. Don't give them any new money to play with until they get control of government spending, fraud and waste.

Begin this year on your Tax Return by letting them know what is coming and check "NO" (or leave unchecked) the box for Contributing money to the Presidential Election Campaign (Federal) AND Gubernatorial Elections Fund (State). If this makes you feel guilty, contribute that money directly to the candidate of your choice, or to your favorite charity. Tax Reform BEGINS with Fiscal Responsibility. Don't expect your governments to give you a free ride at someone else's expense. There is no such thing as a free lunch. Politicians don't yet know that. Teach them.

3. Demand Truth in Advertising. Revise the Oaths of Office to include a Perjury Clause.

This is a long term goal; one that will take time to get fixed. The IRS makes you sign your tax return "under penalties of perjury." Make politicians take an oath of office with the same wording at the end: "Under penalties of perjury, I do so swear."

For now: demand that politicians running for public office at ANY level end all of their advertising with the same clause: "I swear under penalties of perjury that everything in this political advertisement is the truth." Make them state this publicly at any and all public meetings, especially those which are recorded or televised.

4. Demand Term Limits. Two Terms (Eight Years) is enough.

This is also a long term goal and will take time to get the laws changed and the Constitution amended. If the Office of the President of the United States is LIMITED to two terms of four years each, so should every elective public office be similarly limited. If a person can't carry out every one of his or her campaign promises within that time, they were not competent to do so from the beginning. Eight years is enough. Let someone else have a turn. If they were good at their jobs and carried out all their promises, they can always run for some other office, or go home and tend the garden.

For now: Vote ALL incumbents out of office. For the near future, use your vote to limit terms of ALL public offices.

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